Hi all,
A beginner's question - we follow the initial temperatures (approx 95 degrees) , use rennet Fromase50 (maybe too much of it - but started with the proper amount), add yogurt for culture, but no curding, no clean cut, no firming... the result is almost ideal cream cheese, but far from the feta we were expecting.
We use pasteurized milk from the store - could that be the problem? or temperatures?
We produce excellent yogurt but this has been frustratingly unsuccessful.
Help??
Did you use any calcium chloride in the pasteurized milk? Without it you will have trouble get curd to set from pasteurized milk.
Thanks for the pointer. no, I haven't used that yet. I guess - with the next batch, as soon as we finish eating the superb cream cheese :) will let you know.
Zando
Good to hear you got great cream cheese!
I believe that Fromase 50 is a tablet form of rennet, many members have a problem getting a good curd set with tablet rennet, if you do a search you will find many posts on it and recommended dosage rates etc. CaCl2 is an aid to help coagulation primarily used when using past milk, but it is not required, I made half my cheeses without it before finally buying.
Before asking several questions on how you applied the rennet, here is an info page on coagulation (http://www.cheeseforum.org/Making/Coagulation.htm), and there are several pages on rennet (http://www.cheeseforum.org/Making/Making.htm), and a page on common coagulation causes here (http://www.cheeseforum.org/Making/Defects%20-%20General,%20Coagulation.htm).
Also, Feta is normally a low temp cheese and thus most people use a Mesophilic Starter Culture, rather than a Thermophilic Starter Culture such as yogurt (http://www.cheeseforum.org/Recipes/Recipe_Thermophilic_Culture.htm). A common readily available Meso Starter is buttermilk (http://www.cheeseforum.org/Recipes/Recipe_Mesophilic_Culture.htm).
Lastly, for that piquant Feta taste you really need Lipase (http://www.cheeseforum.org/Making/Lipase.htm) which you normally can only get from a supply store (http://www.cheeseforum.org/Links/Stores_Cheese_Making_Supplies.htm).
Hope helps!
I think your temp is WAY too high. I've had successful curds from raw cow's milk at 86degreees, when it has accidently reach 90 or more, I get a cream cheese type of product - I didn't get the regular curds or a clean break. But I went ahead and drained it and brined it - it isnt too bad but doesnt taste as 'feta-y' and has a bit of a cooked taste. This recipe http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/Feta.htm (http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/Feta.htm) uses yoghurt (but I substitute mesophilic starter cause I can't get unflavored yoghurt where I am). Good luck.
So - with using the calcium chloride on pasteurized milk - excellent feta cheese as a result.
Thank you all for the advise. Now it's a matter of refining the small details :)
Just to clarify, you added the Rennet after adding the starter culture, correct?
Because, in your initial post you mention adding the starter culture after Rennet. Although it may just be a wording issue. I figured I might as well make sure.
Quote from: KosherBaker on September 19, 2010, 07:22:13 PM
Just to clarify, you added the Rennet after adding the starter culture, correct?
Because, in your initial post you mention adding the starter culture after Rennet. Although it may just be a wording issue. I figured I might as well make sure.
Yes, first I add 2-3 table spoons of plain yogurt dissolved in some milk, then \i leave it for about 10 min, then I add the rennet. I am quite pleased with the end result... now I will be experimenting with sheep milk as this was the best feta of all - much creamier than the cows milk, and somehow not as strong as the goat's...
anyone experienced with sheep milk?
Quote from: zando on September 28, 2010, 03:42:51 AM....anyone experienced with sheep milk?
Only eating it. ;D I also love Fetas that are made from a mix of Sheep and Cows milk.